Equal Temperance

Equal Temperance Stereo Mix

2010-01-29T06:59:00.000-08:00

A stereo mix of Equal Temperance (from a 9 speaker installation in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank 2009). It features all 29 of the pianos and locations around London. Please get in touch via the comments if you would like a link to download a higher bitrate copy.

Equal Temperance (Stereo Mix)

Fifteen to One

2009-09-11T09:20:00.000-07:00

Equal Temperance is currently being exhibited as part of the 'Fifteen To One' Exhibition at the old Deptford Police Station. The private view took place on 09/09/09.

The exhibition involved fifteen artists creating work on ideas of value.

Equal Temperance was transmitted over two sets of wireless headphones throughout the night. If you hurry you can catch the exhibition before it closes on the weekend.

Thanks to the curator Luke Allder for inviting us to show the piece.

//Equal Temperance Reviewed in Saatchi Gallery Magazine//

2009-08-24T12:47:00.000-07:00

"He doesn't quite hammer nails through his piano, but shortly after beginning to play Kier Vine does get to his feet and walk away. His instrument carries on playing, thanks to the magic of electronica and the recital takes a turn for the weird. So does the whole evening.

[...]

Vine and producer James Bulley have spent three weeks reworking the material so the result is both ghostly and hypnotic. Despite the empty stage, it leaves an early evening audience spellbound."

Mark Sheerin

The QEH performance of 'Equal Temperance' was reviewed by Mark Sheerin for Art&Music - You can read the full article here

//Last night at the QEH//

2009-08-01T07:34:00.000-07:00

A very brief note to say thank you to the huge amount of people who turned out to the QEH last night to watch the first performance of 'Equal Temperance' and to the sound engineers, event organisers and particularly to Charlie Dark for having us.

It was a wonderful summer evening on Southbank and a real privilege to showcase the piece there for its first outing.

If you would like any more information about the piece, please get in touch at james@ooxxoo.co.uk.

//Now//

2009-07-13T19:14:00.000-07:00

We are collating all of the audio recorded from the different locations and pianos in preparation for the next two weeks when we will be composing the final piece.

We will be performing 'Equal Temperance' at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on July 31st.

LINK.

29. Devonshire Square Estate

2009-07-13T17:28:00.007-07:00

Devonshire Sq. Estate.
Unknown piano.
A huge bodied piano, very loud, lots of deep bass, overstrung.
The Estate security guards let us in on a sunday which was very kind of them indeed.

28. Liverpool Street Station

2009-07-13T17:28:00.005-07:00

Liverpool Street Station.
Ferd Manthey; Berlin, Production began in 1868, Production ceased in 1986.
First German piano we'd encountered. Very bad condition, not great tone (unusual for German pianos). Friendly lady asked if she could play after us; she had just given her piano to a friend.

27. Middlesex Street Estate

2009-07-13T17:28:00.003-07:00

Middlesex Street Estate.
OSBERT, unknown history.
In a great setting for sensitive outdoor playing, placed in the middle of the estate courtyard giving a really nice acoustic.
Lovely tone.

26. London Wall

2009-07-13T17:28:00.001-07:00

London Wall.
John Brinsmead & Sons, London. Production began in 1837.
After 1974 made by the Kemble Group Ltd., Milton Keynes.
Painted like Michael Jackson's jacket in Thriller video.
Very beaten keyboard with many silent notes.
Car passed by with HUGE bass. Paid Tribute.

25. Royal Exchange

2009-07-13T17:27:00.008-07:00

Royal Exchange.
Unknown piano.

Quite honky-tonk, very noisy amongst traffic but good for car horns and seagulls.
A Mexican family played before us and had a lot of fun.

24. St Bride's Church

2009-07-13T17:27:00.007-07:00

St Bride's Church.
Kawai, Production began 1927, Japan.
By far the best sound out of all the pianos, a gorgeously tuned and kept grand piano situated in the main hall of the church. The church had beautiful natural reverb and the priest was very kind to let us play for a while on what was clearly a busy day amongst string trios, organ practices and wedding rehearsals. An inspiring setting.

23. Old Jewry

2009-07-13T17:27:00.005-07:00

Old Jewry.
Unknown piano.
Baby grand in a bar in the city. Manager swept in on us and said we couldn't play the 3 notes we needed as our timing was off.
Lounge pianist took over instead.We got our recording - come hail or high weather.

22. St Mary Aldemary

2009-07-13T17:27:00.003-07:00

St Mary Aldemary.
C. G. Cannon, unknown history.
A beautiful church set back from Bow Lane, partially out of tune piano but the setting made up for it.
Met a nice woman called Katherine who was also doing the circuit.

21. St Mary-Le-Bow

2009-07-13T17:27:00.001-07:00

St Mary-Le-Bow.
Normelle, London, Production began in 1927.
Arrived as the Bow bells were chiming at lunch, great atmosphere, old and rusty inside but a good sound.
Two classical string players were waiting to play a duet when we finished.

20. Millenium Bridge

2009-07-13T17:26:00.007-07:00

W. Danemann & Co London England, Production began in 1893. Merged with Broadwood and Sons 1983, Since 1990 made by Sonore Ede, Holland,
We arrived to Fantasia in D Minor by Mozart played by the man in the top picture, lots of interest in piano but it wasn't in great condition.

19. St Paul's Cathedral

2009-07-13T17:26:00.005-07:00

St Paul's Cathedral.
W.H. Barnes, 502-4 Oxford st, production began 1828, production ceased 1937.
Big queues to play this one, garden grounds setting with sound of cathedral bells.

18. Paternoster Square

2009-07-13T17:26:00.003-07:00

Paternoster Square.
Danemann, production started 1893, merged with Broadwood and Sons 1983, since 1990 made by Sonore,
Initial problem getting permission to record, hard attack, good tone in mid-high range.
Huge PA system kicked in while playing so ended prematurely.

17. Smithfield Market

2009-07-13T17:26:00.001-07:00

Smithfield Market.
B. Squire and Longson, "The Cremona Piano" London, Squire - production began in 1829.
This was a great piano for atmosphere.

16. City Hall

2009-07-13T17:25:00.000-07:00

City Hall.
Baldwin, production started 1862,
Teachers demonstration outside, interesting acoustics due to the spiral centre of the building, beautiful brand new piano in immaculate condition. We were unfortunately cut short as the sound was interrupting a meeting. We'd have loved to have had more time on this one and the security guards were wholesome.

15. St Mary Axe

2009-07-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

St Mary Axe.
C. Venables & Co. (dealership), Essex Rd., unknown history.
In very bad condition but a good resonance and big bottom end helped by being open backed.
Lots of passing conversations rushing around the City on mobile phones.

14. Leadenhall Market

2009-07-13T13:26:00.000-07:00

Leadenhall Market.
D'Almaine, "Evans Vintage Upright Grand Piano" English patent no. 3026/1935 (made by W.H. Barnes Ltd, 502-504 Oxford St.), production started 1828, production ceased 1937.
This piano had an interesting sound but was in poor condition. The arched ceiling of Leadenhall Market provided a great acoustic alongside people dining.
We had a very nice conversation with a man called Willy afterwards.

13. Camberwell Green

2009-07-13T13:03:00.001-07:00

Camberwell Green.
Brasstead 'Grand piano', unknown history,
The piano keyboard was water damaged from rain; expanded keys had clumped together making it impossible to play single notes. We took the bottom panel off and played the strings. A friendly man with clarinet approached us, many comments from passers by. A welcome atmosphere.

12. Natural History Museum

2009-07-13T12:45:00.000-07:00

Natural History Museum.
Unknown piano.
Out of kilter, school trips enjoyed hearing and trying.
After we had finished, this boy sat down and played a piece perfectly from his grade book.

11. Church Street Market, Edgware Rd.

2009-07-13T12:39:00.000-07:00

Church Street Market.
Chappell, Bond st., production began 1812, made by Kemble group since 1978.
Laughter and good salesmanship in the background and a nice piano that's seen better days.
A Polish builder wanted something a little more lively out of us but we were struggling to be energetic on the first stop of our day.

10. Lyric Square

2009-07-13T12:34:00.000-07:00

Lyric Square.
T.G. Payne, unknown history.
In the middle of a commercial centre, blanketing by the soft rustling of trees.
A classic old upright piano and a man who hadn't played for years but could just remember pieces.
He carried on playing when the plastic sheet used to protect the piano from rain blew over his head.

9. Westbourne Triangle

2009-07-13T12:20:00.000-07:00

Westbourne Triangle.
Moore & Moore, London, production began in 1837, became Kemble later.
There was a lot of Gilbert & Sullivan music left by someone on this piano and strange insects attached to the front. It seemed well used and had a loud rich tone.

8. Harrow Road

2009-07-13T12:15:00.000-07:00

7. Portobello Road

2009-07-13T12:02:00.000-07:00

6. The British Library

2009-07-13T11:58:00.001-07:00

5. Tate Britain

2009-07-08T19:00:00.001-07:00

4. Oxford Street - Plaza Shopping Centre

2009-07-08T18:46:00.000-07:00

3. Soho Square

2009-07-08T18:43:00.000-07:00

2. Leicester Square

2009-07-08T18:33:00.001-07:00

We met the man in the blue shirt at this piano. He was on his way to play a gig in Portsmouth that evening; the following is a recording of his warm up.

1. Carnaby Street

2009-07-08T18:18:00.001-07:00

Equal Temperance

2009-07-08T11:11:00.000-07:00

A composition written to be performed on 29 pianos in several different places simultaneously.

Written and recorded by sound artist/producer, James Bulley and pianist/composer Keir Vine , 'Equal Temperance' is inspired by the ‘Play me, I’m yours’ live art piece by Luke Jerram. It involves material taken from and around 29 pianos placed on the streets of London.

The subtle indiscrepancies in the tone and pitch of each piano, the weather, the conversation passing by… these variables become virtue rather than hinderance in the recording and production of this work.